I think that doing programming at school could really help me with experience, and I think it would be a good way for my friends to learn so we can make stuff together.Anyway, I want to suggest the idea to the IT teacher, but are there any programs/books or anything else you guys would suggest?At the moment I think that it would be a cool think to be a part of a club at school for programming and I really want this to happen, so has anyone done this kind of thing before?

I, fortunately enough, go to a high school that already has computer science. Im completely self taught so the class is super easy for me, but its still a great resource. Id say go for it! However, you'll need a teacher that can program, not a book. A book won't be that helpful.

Well perhaps not quite the place to start. But game jams and Ludum dare would be great activities for the "club". And yes there are plenty of such clubs around in most cites.

As for books etc. Well books are typically expensive, and there is so much stuff on the net these days. I learnt programming from books, but these days i think a internet connection is enough if you have the right attitude. Simple start projects like tick tac toe is a real good place to start. I get my students to start with ascii ttt with standard input and output only.

The biggest block to most people who want to learn programming, is that they expect to write the next WoW by the end of the year.

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.--Albert Einstein

Well perhaps not quite the place to start. But game jams and Ludum dare would be great activities for the "club". And yes there are plenty of such clubs around in most cites.

As for books etc. Well books are typically expensive, and there is so much stuff on the net these days. I learnt programming from books, but these days i think a internet connection is enough if you have the right attitude. Simple start projects like tick tac toe is a real good place to start. I get my students to start with ascii ttt with standard input and output only.

The biggest block to most people who want to learn programming, is that they expect to write the next WoW by the end of the year.

I have to second this, people have to realize they aren't going to be a famous game programmer in a couple months. Ive seen so many people drop out because they don't.

Thanks guys for the info.I already know programming, I'm pretty good in Java but I'm nothing flash at C# and C++

I'm thinking of having a meeting with a few members of staff and discussing all the advantages of programming, how vital it is in our society, and how people should be brought into it from a young age.

Ok, I'll take back what I said before. A book is a great reference tool, but what you really need is the internet. You need to find a forum that has lots of code that you can copy and mess with, that's how I learned. I use books primarily for looking small things up. I don't believe in learning out of books because it only teaches you the author's way of doing things.

I have to sort of agree, and disagree, on this. My computer science class is pretty much rushed and no one learns anything. It's obvious because I'm almost like a second teacher in there. No one understands what the hell is going on half the time because you only have a few days to learn about arrays, or to create your sorting class. It's not a great way to learn coding at all, and I feel like that class will drive away potential coders because it gives them the wrong idea about what coding is. I, fortunately enough, have been coding for two years so the class isn't that difficult.

I agree because although we move along pretty fast, we do have a Java2D segment at the end of school where we get to make our own game for about a week or two. So, it really depends on how the teacher sets up the class. I would strongly recommend taking time and coding on your own at home on your own projects (that aren't school related) to learn and to see if you really do like coding.

In all honesty, I didn't learn a lot from programming from school. I learned a lot more when I programmed for myself as a hobby. During high school, we did have access to learn programming languages, but my teacher decided it would be easier to learn Game Maker instead. So, he thought me about Game Maker instead.

Most of what I learned that was halfway vital was through my own persistence at looking through other peoples code and trying to see how things work. Any advice I'd have for your club is to do the same and try to teach yourself through online tutorials and self- experimenting. It is a lot more rewarding because you'll be doing what you want to do instead of following a book .

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